SSLS 2017-01-22

2017 1st Quarter

Lesson 4, January 21-27, The Personality of the Holy Spirit

Sunday, January 22

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” KJV, John 16:13, emphasis added.

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” KJV, John 14:26, emphasis added.

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” KJV, John 15:26, 27, emphasis added.

Here we see Jesus referring to the Holy Spirit as a Guide, Teacher, and an Expert Witness. The reference is not one of an impersonal entity, but one of Sovereignty and Ambassadorship, who will be Christ’s Representative–thereby giving glory to the Son as Jesus glorified the Father in representing Him to the world.

“Christ was the foundation of the whole system of Jewish worship, and in it was shadowed forth the living reality,—the manifestation of God in Christ. Through the sacrificial system men could see Christ’s personality and look forward to their divine Saviour. But when he stood before them, representing the invisible God,—for in him dwelt ‘all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,’—they were not able to discern his divine character because of their want of spirituality. Their own prophets had foretold him as a Deliverer. Isaiah had declared: ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.’ But though his character and mission had been so plainly delineated, though he came unto his own, his own received him not. Occasionally divinity flashed through humanity, the glory escaped through the disguise of the flesh, and brought forth an expression of homage from his disciples. But it was not until Christ ascended to his Father, not until the descent of the Holy Spirit, that the disciples fully appreciated the character and the mission of Christ. After the baptism of the Holy Spirit they began to realize that they had been in the very presence of the Lord of life and glory. As the Holy Spirit brought the sayings of Christ to their remembrance, their understanding was opened to comprehend the prophecies, to understand the mighty miracles which he had wrought. The wonders of his life, in all its sacredness, greatness, and glory, passed before them, and they were as men wakened from a dream. They realized that ‘the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.’ They seemed of much less importance in their own eyes, after their awakening to the fact that Christ had been among them, than they did before they realized this. They never wearied of rehearsing every item which had come under their notice in connection with his words and works. They were often filled with remorse at their stupidity and unbelief and misapprehension as they recalled his lessons of instruction which they had but dimly understood when he had spoken them in their presence, and which now came to them as a fresh revelation. The Scriptures became a new book to them.” (Ellen White, Review and Herald, April 23, 1895, emphasis added.)